Cherokee County Football Previews – Week 2

Posted on August 25, 2022 by admin

We move into Week-2 of the high school football season in Cherokee County as all six county teams will be in action again this Friday night. The Woodstock Wolverines and the Hiram Hornets will square off in Woodstock. Both teams are looking for their first win of the season. Who will be able to put their Week-1 loss behind them and get back on the right track? Over in Hickory Flat, the Sequoyah Chiefs will welcome in the Rabun Gap Eagles for a matchup that will future a clash of differing offensive styles. Can the Chiefs get the ground game going again, or will Rabun Gap control the skies with their passing game?

The Creekview Grizzlies will travel to Powder Springs to take on the Hillgrove Hawks in a non-region tilt. It’s a battle of sophomore quarterbacks. Will it be Creekview’s Austin Guest or Hillgrove’s Toryn Wilkins that leads their team to victory? The River Ridge Knights will take their two quarterback system on the road to face the Pope Greyhounds. River Ridge is riding high after their Week-1 win. Will Pope show signs of preseason rust or will they be fresh and ready for a tussle with the Knights? Finally, the Etowah Eagles host the Cherokee Warriors in the County’s longest standing rivalry game. The Eagles are 1-0 and looking to defeat their county rival for the first time in three years. Can Cherokee bounce back this week, or are these Etowah Eagles the real deal?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines will look to bounce back after dropping a game to the vastly improved Osborne Cardinals last week. The Wolverines will look to make improvements on the ground and through the air. If Woodstock is going to rebound, they will have to take better care of the ball as they turned it over three times last week. Developing consistency on offense is a theme for most teams in Cherokee County this season and Woodstock is no exception. Coach Hoff will have to regroup quickly as they take steps to improve prior to region play.

The Hiram Hornets also lost their first game of the season to Paulding County. Hiram will be looking for a breakthrough as they have struggled to find the win column as well over the last two seasons. The Hornets have been able to put points on the board averaging 19 points per game in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons, but their defense has surrendered 33 and 40 points per game respectively in the previous two seasons. Hiram graduated their top passer and running back from a year ago. They do however return their top four receivers from the 2021 season. Expect for Samir Wiley to take over under center while Jamarion Whatley should get the bulk of the carries for the Hornets. 

Woodstock’s secondary will be tested again as Hiram’s Wiley is an athletic passer with very capable receivers. If the Wolverines can’t get any rhythm on offense, it could spell a long night for Wooodstock. We like the Hornets by 17. 

The Skinny

The Sequoyah Chiefs will look for their first win of the season as they invite the Rabun Gap Eagle’s to Hickory Flat this week. The Chiefs were stymied offensively by Lambert last week and will look to get the offense in sync in Week-2. Stop us if you’ve heard this before, but the Chiefs will certainly need some consistency on offense. As we mentioned previously, and we will certainly mention again in these previews, the offense will need to sustain a few drives to help keep their defense off the field. Bright spots for the Chiefs last week include Jaxon Nesbitt who threw for over 200 yards and a TD, Jackson Hancock and Bretton Darling in the secondary. 

Rabun Gap will be looking for their first win of the season as they come calling. The Eagles play in the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association. Rabun Gap advanced to the finals of the NCISAA Division I playoffs last season and graduated  several seniors. The Eagles do bring in a new starting quarterback, Gavin Owens, who is projected to be a Power-5 quarterback in a couple of years when his high school playing days are over. Rabun Gap struggled to run the ball a bit last week. It will be interesting to see if they make that a point of emphasis coming into this week.

For our friends in Hickory Flat, do not be deceived by this small Northeast Georgia private school. There is plenty of talent on the Rabun Gap Roster. We will see if the Sequoyah offense can turn some of their drives in to points this week. We believe Sequoyah will be able to move the ball, but will Like Rabun Gap by 10.

The Skinny

The Hillgrove Hawks will face their second consecutive Cherokee County opponent as they will be at home this week in Powder Springs. Like the Grizzlies, the Hawks are replacing several starters at key positions. Last week, Hillgrove struggled early with penalties and turnovers. Expect ball security to be a point of emphasis. Hillgrove did manage to find the end zone twice in their opener. We expect quarterback Toryn Wilkins to become more efficient as he gets comfortable running the offense. 

It’s not often that we see the Creekview Grizzlies get shutout. But perhaps more surprising is the fact that the defense allowed 28 points in Week-1. But not all is doom and gloom in Grizzly County. Quarterback, Austin Guest showed some great play making ability to extend some drives, but ultimately some untimely penalties and a stingy Cambridge defense denied the Grizzlies any access to pay-dirt. We expect Creekview to continue to improve as Guest gets more comfortable under center. We will also see how the running game improves this week. That has been a staple for Creekview and expect first year starter Nigel Agyemang to improve week by week as he gets comfortable in the backfield.  

Both of these teams find themselves in similar positions looking for some confidence and consistency before they get into region play. We believe the Creekview defense gets back on track this week and helps hold Hillgrove at bay. Grizzlies by 10.

The Skinny

The Pope Greyhounds were off last week and will play their season opener this week as they host the River Ridge Knights. Pope is coming off oa season in which they qualified for the post season for the first time in three years. They return quarterback Patrick Lowe who threw for over 1,800 yards and 14-TDs. However, his supporting cast at the offensive skill positions will have to be replaced as Pope loses their top running back and their three top receivers from last season to graduation. Sosuke Watanabe is the teams most experienced receiver coming back while Kris Hayes has the most experience in the backfield for Pope. They Greyhounds averaged 23 points per game last season. It will be interesting to watch and see if they can duplicate those efforts this season.

The River Ridge Knights used their two quarterback system as both Ethan Spector and Isaiah Coughlan to help guide their offense last Friday. This comes as no surprise as we saw both of these quarterbacks get snaps in the fall scrimmage and Coach Collins even eluded to the fact that both young men would play. The River Ridge faithful should be happy to see Grant Hollier on the sidelines. He’s a young receiver that can help stretch the field for the Knights. Combining Hollier with Jackson Head certainly creates a potentially potent receiving duo for the Ridge. A promising sign for River Ridge was that the defense only allowed one offensive touchdown in last week’s game. 

We expect Pope to present a stiffer test for River Ridge, even without having played in Week-1. If River Ridge can put pressure on the Greyhounds Lowe, we like their chances. This game will be closer than Week-1 for the Ridge, but we like them to edge Pope. Knights by 4.  

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles wasted no time getting their first win of the season as they downed Lassiter last week. It was their first season opening win in three tries. Last week, the Eagles won with Xavier Mahoney and Jack Strickland splitting time at QB, while Reece “ Buffalo” Wehr had a great outing at running back to help pace the Eagles. Etowah held Lassiter scoreless in the second half to complete their comeback victory. This week, they defense will look for another lock down performance. Meanwhile, if this combination of Strickland, Mahoney, Wehr and Cacho can stay consistent, Etowah might be challenging for a playoff spot come region play.

The Cherokee Warriors took one on the chin against Cartersville last Friday. The Warriors could not really get much consistency on offense and the defense was on the field a little more than they would like. There certainly were some bright spots from the Warriors as the pass rush Was effective, especially from J.D. Burn and Kyan Simmons. The young Cherokee offense will need to find some rhythm this week and take some steps forward. Cherokee is only returning two starters on offense and has a new offensive coordinator. 

The County’s oldest rivalry game will have its 39th installment on Friday. Last season, the Eagles took the Warriors to the brink before falling to some late game heroics by the Cherokee. Etowah looks to be the team playing with a little more confidence. We believe their experience on the offense line is the difference in this one. Eagles by 6.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-2 (Part II)

Posted on August 24, 2022 by admin

This is Part II of our weekly previews of Eight of the more intriguing high school football matchups across the State of Georgia. Our first matchup features Cass as they host the Rockmart Yellow Jackets. Both teams are coming off losses last week. Is Cass ready to step onto the big stage with a win over Rockmart, or will the Yellow Jackets reassert their dominance in this series? Meanwhile, the Blessed Trinity Titans will host Eagle’s Landing Christian. The Titans avenged losses last season to Calhoun and will look to continue their mastery of Eagle’s Landing Christian. Will the Charges figure out the Blessed Trinity riddle?

Over in Polk County, Cedertown, fresh off a big win over their region rival will host another tough Class AA opponent as Callaway comes calling. Will the Callaway Cavaliers have a hangover from last week’s heartbreaking loss, or will they break through for their first win of the season? Finally, over in Northeast Georgia, the Rabun County Wildcats will host the Stephens County Indians. Rabun County countinues to fly high with their passing game. Will Stephens County be able to slow down the Tigers?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Cass Colonials may have put a lot of teams on notice as they took Class 7A Kennesaw Mountain to the brink last week before falling by one. We already knew that Devin Henderson is a star in the making for the Colonels. Henderson threw for 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns and also rushed for 87 yards and another touchdown. Mac Nelson led the way on the ground with 87 yards and a touchdown. Cass is an up and coming team. We believe they are one confidence building win away from really making a splash in Class 5A.

The Rockmart Yellow Jackets will also be looking for their first win of the season after falling to their Polk County rivals last week. The Yellow Jackets scored only one offensive touchdown last Friday night. It’s certainly not for a lack of talent. Expect for players like Cam Fergusaon, JoJo Haynes, Dennis Sims and QB J.D. Davis to have plenty of opportunities to point some points on the board. Davis presents some problems with his ability to run especially if Cass focuses too intently on stopping Haynes and Ferguson in the backfield.

Rockmart has not started 0-2 since the 2008 season. In fact, Rockmart has been resilient the last two seasons, when they lost their opener. We believe Rockmart bounces back and escapes White with a slim 2 point victory. 

The Skinny

The Blessed Trinity Titans went up to Calhoun and avenged last year’s losses to the Yellow Jackets. There were several question marks for the Titans heading into the 2022 season with the departure of their leading rusher and passer from a year ago. Sophomore quarterback Brooks Goodman filled in some big shoes, but he had help from Kieran Davis alongside him in the backfield who rushed for 112yards on 23 carries. 

The Eagle’s Landing Christian Academy (ELCA) Chargers outlasted Brentwood Academy last Friday. Quarterback Charlie Gilliam threw for over 300 yards with a pair of TDs while Brandon Hood rushed for 235 yards on 32 carries along with three touchdowns in the victory. Hood has a combination of power and speed that makes him difficult to contain. We can’t forget about the impressive offense line he runs behind which is anchored by Zechariah Owens and D.J. Chester. 

As with most games, the team that controls the line of scrimmage will come out victorious in this one. We believe ELCA has the edge here, along with an experienced quarterback. We like the Chargers to get over the hump against Blessed Trinity. ELCA by 4.

The Skinny

The Cedartown Bulldogs started off their season with a big win over their Polk County rival last week. We’ve become accustomed to the Bulldogs ground game and it was on display again last week, as they racked up 232 rushing yards with Patrick Gardner and Harlem Diamond leading the way with a combined 156 yards. The Bulldogs only attempted three passes in the game. Linebacker Eli Barrow recorded a team high 21 total tackles in the victory. The Bulldogs will look to grind out more yards this week against another top team in Class AA comes to visit.

The Callaway Cavaliers lost a heartbreaker in Week-1 to Alabama Class-7A Opelika last week. The Cavs couldn’t hold off Opelika late in the game. Callaway remains our top team in Class AA. We believe that this is another special group down in Hogansville. They sport a pair of impressing running backs in Quay Whitfield and Jordan King. Throw in an experienced quarterback in Dashun Coleman the Cavs have plenty of weapons on offense to give the Cedartown defense fits. 

Can the Cedartown Bulldogs run game find success against Elijah Gunn and the Cavs defensive line? That’s easier said than done. We believe the Cavs head into Cedartown and pull an upset this week. Callaway by 2. 

The Skinny

The Rabun County Wildcats picked up right where they left off last season putting up 49 points in their opener. Quarterback Keegan Stover had a great debut with his new team throwing for 368 yards and 4-TDs. Jaden Gibson was seemingly unguardable, catching eight passes for 273 yards while Riley Stewart added six receptions for 60 yards. Lang Windham chipped in 58 yards on the ground. We don’t expect for the Wildcats to deviate from the game plan this week, although their opponents secondary might provide a stiffer challenge than their week-1 foe.

The Stephens County Indians used a little more balanced attack in their week one victory over Habersham Central. Quarterback Ben Stowe threw for 116 yards and a touchdown while T.J. Everett and Javin Gordon combined for 129 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Cam’ron Lacy caught 7 passes for 101 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Defensive End Aidan Butts was wreaking havoc in the backfield last week as he recorded four sacks. The Indians will certainly need another performance like that this week if they plan to take down the Wildcats this week.

Stephens County might lean heavy on the ground game to keep the Keegan Stover led Wildcats offense on the sideline. The Indians defense should be a tougher test for Rabun County, but we believe the Stover to Gibson connection will be too lethal this week. We like Rabun County by 10.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-2 (Part I)

Posted on August 24, 2022 by admin

Welcome back to our weekly Georgia High School Football Previews where we take a look at eight of the more intriguing matchups across the State. First up this week, we go down to South Georgia as Emanuel County Institute hosts the Metter Tigers. Both of these teams run the football well, but will P.J. Farnum be enough firepower for ECI or will the duo of Coney and Jordan rule the day for Metter? In Metro Atlanta, the Westlake Lions look to bounce back after a heartbreaking week-1 loss. They’ll host the Crisp County Cougars. Does Crisp have the depth to keep up with a talented West Lake team?

Over in Dallas, the South Paulding Spartans will host former region foe, Carrollton. Is this South Paulding team ready for a statement win, or will Julian “JuJu” Lewis and Carrollton continue to put up video game like numbers? Finally, over in Snellville, the Brookwood Broncos host the Walton Raiders. Brookwood is riding high after a big week-1 victory while Walton is smarting from their heartbreaking defeat. Can Walton regroup on the road?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

The Skinny

The Emanuel County Institute Bulldogs are off last week and will certainly not open the season off with a cupcake. The Bulldogs will look to pick up where they left off last season with key returners P.J. Farnum at running back and Bryce Kearson at quarterback. Farnum is a back with great vision and has the ability to change speed and direction on a dime. He’s certainly an electric back and one that will make it challenging to defend. The Bulldogs will be looking to improve on their 9-3 season from a year ago that saw them advance to the 2nd round of the playoffs.

The Metter Tigers lost their first regular season game in over two seasons. Metter has been an explosive team over the last two seasons, averaging over 35 points per game, so we expect for the Tigers to bounce back this week. Look for Antwan Coney and Kaliq Jordan to have more success running the ball this week. Defensively, Metter will have their hands full trying to tackle the Bulldogs Farnum.

Metter won this game going away last season. We believe this year’s matchup will be more competitive. In the end, it’s too much Coney and Jordan for the Tigers. Metter by 11.

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions will look to bounce back this week as they host one of the top teams in Class AAA, the Crisp County Cougars. Westlake was led last week by Jai’Den Thomas with over 140 yards on the ground. What we learned about Westlake is that they can certainly compete in the State’s largest classification after moving up from Class 6-A this season. The Westlake defense showed they will be a force to be reckoned with, holding North Cobb to 21 points. That’s a number well below North Cobb’s average last season. 

The Crisp County Cougars got their season off with win under first year head coach Lawrance Smith, as they defeated neighboring Dooly County. Senior running back Semaj Chatfield did most of the damage on the ground with 28 carries for 103 yards. The Cougars defense kept Dooly in check for most of the night. They will certainly need that defense to travel to Atlanta this week as they face an offense that will be more potent than the one they saw in Week-1.

Crisp County is no stranger to playing at a high level. However, Westlake is too deep this week. We like the Lions by 16 at home. 

The Skinny

The South Paulding Spartans have plenty of high expectations this season, with one of the top offensive linemen in the state and an experienced backfield returning this season. Jamarion Wilcox was the workhouse for the Spartans, rushing for 236 yards including an 86 yard TD run, while quarterback Kasen Wiseman threw for 176 yards in the victory. Wiseman showed some craftiness escaping pressure and keeping his eyes down field completing passes to help keep drives alive. Weisman and Wilcox will need a similar type outing as they host former region foe Carrollton on Friday.

The Carrollton Trojans absolutely lit up the scoreboard last week, putting up 69 points last Friday night. It was a great debut for freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who threw for 286 yards and 5-TDs. Junior running back Bryce Hicks rushed for 135 yard for the Trojans offense. Six different Carrollton receivers caught passes last week. The Carrollton defense held Gadsden City to just one touchdown, which they didn’t yield until the last two minutes of the game. The Trojans also scored four defensive touchdowns, including three interceptions returned for a touchdown. 

We don’t believe Carrollton can duplicate the defensive success that they had last week. South Paulding has enough experience to make this matchup much closer than the team’s two previous meetings. Carrollton has outscored South Pualding 81-34. Spartans keep it close for three quarters, but we like the Trojans by 10.

The Skinny

The Brookwood Broncos got their season off on the right foot with a big win on a gutsy play late in the game as quarterback Dylan Lonergan showed his ability to make things happen with his feet as well as his arm. Lonergan threw for 186 yards and 2-TDs while completing passes to five different Bronco receivers. The Brookwood offense racked up 341 yards of offense on Saturday. Senior linebacker Malcolm McCain led the defense with 8 total tackles, but the Broncos allowed 326 yards to Norcross. 

The Walton Raiders lost a heartbreaker in Week-1 to another very talented Gwinnett County Team. What we learned from Walton is that they do belong in the conversation as one of the top teams in the state. Quarterback Jeremy Hecklinski threw for 425 yards and 4-TDs with Cam Lloyd as his top target, catching six passes for 196 yards and 2-TDs. Makari Bodiford also had a great debut for his new team, rushing for 144 yards and 2-TDs. The Walton defense however surrendered 478 yards of total offense last week. That will have to improve this week if they want to go on the road and get a victory. 

Brookwood is riding high after their victory in Week-1. We think the key however, is how Walton responds to a heart breaking loss. If they can find a way to score points like they did in Week-1, we believe they can win a shootout against Brookwood. We like Walton to pull the upset over the Brookwood. Walton by 3. 

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TFR – Georgia High School Football Rankings – Week 1

Posted on August 21, 2022 by admin

Week-1 of the Georgia High School football season is under our belt and we had some surprises as we try to feel out new regions, new head coaches and a state full of great football talent on display. This is Week-1 of our Georgia High School Football rankings.

Class 7A sees Milton slipping from the Top-10 with Parkview replacing them at No. 10. Despite losses by Westlake, Walton and Norcross, these teams didn’t falter in the poll this week. They all fell to higher ranked teams in our Class 7A poll by no more than 4 points in each game.

Class 6A has two new teams joining the fray this week as Blessed Trinity and Gainesville come in at No. 9 & 10 respectively. We might be jumping on the Gainesville bandwagon early, but their win over Marist this past Friday was impressive. Northside Warner Robins drops two spots after falling to Jones County. While we don’t have them ranked this week, the South Paulding Spartans are knocking on the door. (They have a big matchup with Carrollton this coming Friday.)

Over in Class 5A, Cartersville and Warner Robins flip places as the Canes take over the top spot after an impressive 35-0 on Friday. Warner Robins fell to the No. 1 team in Class 6A, Lee County. Clarke Central and Kell make their debut in the poll this week. Meanwhile, Class 4A has three new teams in the top-10 This week, Westminster (No. 8), Riverdale (No. 9) and Starr’s Mill (No. 10). In Class 3A, Adairsville cracks into the poll at No. 10 this week.

The Top-5 in Class 2A remains unchanged despite losses by the No. 1 and No. 5 teams. Callaway lost to Alabama 7A top-10 Opelika while No. 5 Rockmart fell to Class 4A No. 1, Cedartown. Defending Class 2A state champ, Fitzgerald is in the poll this week at No. 9 while Columbia is in at No. 10 after they went on the road and beat Class 7A Camden County down in St. Mary’s.

There was not a lot of shake up in our Class A-D1 rankings, as Lamar County makes an appearance at No. 10. Meanwhile, in Class A-D2, Schley County takes over the top spot as Wilcox County fell to Lamar County. We didn’t see big wins coming in Week-1 for Charlton County and Bowdon, but they happened, and those victories propelled the two teams to No. 7 and 8 respectively.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

CLASS AAAAAAA

CLASS AAAAAA

CLASS AAAAA

CLASS AAAA

CLASS AAA

CLASS AA

CLASS A – DIVISION-1

CLASS A – DIVISION -2

Posted in 2022 TFR Polls | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Week-1 Cherokee County Football Previews

Posted on August 18, 2022 by admin

We have finally arrived at the beginning of the high school football season in Cherokee County. This week all six county teams will be in action. First up, the Woodstock Wolverines will travel to face the Osborne Cardinals as both teams look to take the next step in their rebuilding process. Meanwhile, the Etowah Eagles will make a short trip over to East Cobb to take on the Lassiter Trojans. Etowah has put up some impressive numbers in scrimmages, but will that translate to regular season success? The Sequoyah Chiefs host the Lambert Longhorns at Skip Pope Stadium.

Down in Woodstock, River Ridge will host Hillgrove. The Knights will be replacing a lot of starters at the skill positions. Will those new pieces pick up where last year’s stars left off? The Creekview Grizzlies make the short trip over to Milton to face the Cambridge Bears. Last year, the Bears bested the Grizzlies in a defensive slugfest. Can Creekview get redemption over their “Ursa” rivals? Finally the Cherokee Warriors host the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes. The Canes are a perennial power regardless of classification. The Warriors are also in the midst of reloading after losing a lot of experience to graduation. Will these young players be able to step up in big early season test?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Woodstock Wolverines begin their second season under coach Troy Hoff. One of his top players, Adonis Garcia has really made a name for himself. A two way star for the Wolverines, he committed to Appalachian State in the offseason. The Wolverines also return senior quarterback Dan Comeau. They’ll be looking for some consistency at running back and we have seen some glimpses of that in their off season scrimmages. Tyler Douthit and Chase Blalock will anchor the offensive line for the Wolverines. Carson Gray is the team’s leading returning tackler at linebacker. 

Osborne hasn’t stricken fear in their opponents on the football field in quite some time. Their last wining season came some 28 years ago. However, we have a hunch that this Osborne team might be turning over a new leaf under third year coach Luqman Salam. The Cardinals have a quarterback with a live arm (Eddie “Deuce” Burr)  and he’s got a talented receiver in Joshua Horton that will be playing on Saturdays after he graduates. 

Both teams should be able to move the football, but who will be able to sustain drives. In years past, we would have bet the house against the Cardinals, but like we said before, this could be a year where they surprise a few teams. Don’t be surprised to see a lot of points put up by two teams that averaged under 10 points per game last season. We believe Woodstock has just enough to get past Osborne. Wolverines by 4.

The Skinny

The Etowah Eagles will also be breaking in a new starting quarterback as the Jack Strickland era begins at Eagle Mountain. Strickland has put up some impressive numbers in the spring and fall scrimmages. We expect for Joher Cacho to get most of the carries early on as the Eagles look to solidify a starter to go along side Strickland. Tate Nelms has been an anchor for this offensive line the past two seasons and we expect more of the same in 2022. Defensively for Etowah the secondary returns Frank Mosley IV, while Joshua Harding will return to anchor the linebackers. Etowah did lose their top four tacklers from a year ago, so it remains to be seen who else will step up on defense.

The Lassiter Trojans come off of a 4-6 campaign looking to qualify for a playoff birth this year for the first time since 2016. Coach Sean Thom has the Trojans heading in the right direction increasing wins over the last three seasons. This year, they will be looking for a breakthrough behind senior quarterback Bryson Harrison. Harrison threw for 1,200 yards and 8-TDs last season. The Trojans also return their two top running backs from a year ago, in Samuel Gadsden and Jaheim Murray. Needless to say, there is experience in the backfield. However, the Trojans did graduate their top two receivers from 2021.

Etowah has shown a different spark offensively in the scrimmages and if they can keep that going, we believe they kid have a breakout season. Lassiter does have a little more experience. This game will come down to which defense can make stops. This should be a high scoring game. We like the Trojans at home by 2.

The Skinny

The Sequoyah Chiefs are looking to make it back to the post season after a three year hiatus. This Chief’s team sport a few talented juniors that they will rely on offensively in Jackson Hancock and Tyler Bell. Both have the potential to make big plays within the Chiefs run heavy offense. We should see Brady Curl line up on both sides of the line of scrimmage, as he will be relied upon as a leader up front on both offense and defense. Jaxon Nesbitt looks be the heir apparent at quarterback for the Chiefs. Defensively, the secondary looks to be a strong suit for the Chiefs with Ridley Joseph and Bretton Darling joining the aforementioned Hancock in the defensive backfield. 

Lambert is coming off their first playoff appearance since 2016. (Losing int he first round to the eventual state champion, Collins Hill.) The Longhorns return starting quarterback James Tyre, who was the team’s leading passer and rusher last season. Lambert also returns two of their top three receivers from 2021 (Brandon Jones and TE Luke Logan). The Longhorns averaged 27.7 points per game in 2022 and allowed 19.3. 

Sequoyah will look to establish their dominance on the ground in this game. Defensively, they will need to slow down Lambert’s Tyre if they want to open up the season with a victory. We are big on returning starters at quarterback. We believe Lambert takes this one. Longhorns by a touchdown. 

The Skinny

River Ridge will be looking to prove that the last two seasons weren’t just a flash in the pan as the Knights open up at home against Hillgrove. River Ridge will be replacing a lot of key pieces at the skill positions on offense. Ethen Spector looks to have gotten the nod at quarterback while Daniel Fitchner will take over at running back. The offensive line welcomes back John Faletra, Reed Albers and Joseph Hornbuckle. Of course we can’t talk River Ridge offense without mentioning Jackson Head. We feel like we’ve been mentioning this young man’s name for years. He enters his senior season as one of the top tight-ends in the State. Head led the Knights with 47 receptions for 695 yards and 10-TDs last year. Defensively, the Knights will leann on Brendan Dye and Brandon Burdette at linebacker and M.J. Ayers and Andrew Hand in the secondary. 

The Hillgrove Hawks are looking to improve on their win total from 2021 as Justin DeShon is in his second season as the head ball coach. The Hawks were competitive in games early in 2021, but could not get much traction in region play. Hillgrove will break in a new quarterback as Toryn Wilkins looks to be the leader in the clubhouse for the Hawks. Hillgrove will also be looking for a new leading running back. Jonathan Owusu could be a name that emerges at receiver for the Hawks. Hillgrove may look to the defense early in the season to help hold opponents at bay will the young quarterback get’s settled into the offense.. The Hawks leading tackler Zion Rutledge returns for his senior season along with three of their other top tacklers from a season ago.

Both teams are in a rebuilding phase of sorts. River Ridge will need to find consistency through the air. That will certainly be helped if they can establish the run. That might be easier said than done against the Hillgrove defense. Nevertheless, we like the Ridge by 3. 

The Skinny

The Creekview Grizzlies have been one of the most consistent teams on the football field since the school opened. The Grizzlies did make an early exit in the playoffs last season, but return several juniors who were starters as sophomores last year. They will be breaking in a new quarterback in Austin Guest, but Guest was able to take meaningful snaps last season. He will be joined in the backfield by newcomer Nigel Agyemang at running back. He will have big shoes to fill with the departure of Tyler Stevens (USAF). The Grizzlies strength will be along both lines of scrimmage. On the offensive line, senior center Anthony Caraballo will join juniors Cam Mears, Pierson Sears and Andrew Rosinksi to form what might be the counties best offensive line. Meanwhile, Becket Singleton, Trey Thomas, Griffin Jane and Isaac Hubert will make things difficult for opposing offenses this season. This is a defense that really gets after opposing quarterbacks. 

For the Cambridge Bears, they proved last season that they are not a team to be overlooked. Their defense was equally as impressive a year ago, as they shut out the Grizzlies to get their first win in the series. The Bears defense returns leaders Elliot Kuykendall along the defensive lines and Brooks Morley at linebacker.  These two helped lead the Bears defense that allowed just over 18 points per game last season. Meanwhile, the offense returns three top weapons including the two top running backs Jack Marlow and Christian Isabor, while Will Taylor is poised to have another great season. The senior led the Bears in receiving last year with 45 receptions for 914 yards. Preston Clemmer will take over as the starter at quarterback and he looks to have plenty of proven weapons around him to help lead the Bears to another playoff appearance. 

We can be sure that Creekview won’t be looking past Cambridge this season. Can the Grizzlies defense stymie Isabor and Marlow and also put pressure on Clemmer? Meanwhile, can the young Grizzly skill players grow up quickly against an experienced Cambridge team. Make it two in a row for Cambridge. We like the Bears by 6.

The Skinny

The Cherokee Warriors will start the 2022 campaign with a tough test as the Cartersville Purple Hurricanes come calling. After advancing to the post season for the fifth time in six years, the Warriors will be replacing most of their players at the skill position on offense. Sophomore quarterback Tanner Savasir takes over for the now departed A.J. Swann (Vanderbilt). He will have a youthful group of receivers including Jayce Jones, Pops Jameson, Weston Bergman and Gracen Sexton. Peyton Butler is the lone senior in the receiving unit. Defensively, Javon Hobson will anchor the front four along with Kyan Simmons at linebacker and Ryane Martin Jr in the secondary. Last season, the Warriors averaged 23.3 points per game and allowed 24.7

The Cartersville Purple Hurricanes enter the 2022 season looking to maintain their position as one of the top teams in Class 5A. The Canes will be breaking in a new a quarterback, but do return running back Malachi Jeffries, who rushed for 607 yards and 12-TDs in 2021. The Canes also return their top receiver, Collin Fletcher. Johnathan Cline and Malachi Tolliver will anchor the offensive line this season and will be the key for this offenses’s success in 2022. Defensively Myles Forristall is the team’s leading returning tackler. He’ll be joined by two-way player Jaden Akins, as they will look to make things very uncomfortable for Cherokee’s first year starter.

Expect to see Cartersville mix things up defensively to try to confuse Cherokee’s young starting quarterback. Cherokee must be able to establish some balance on offense to help him out. Meanwhile, expect Cartersville to try and establish dominance at the line of scrimmage on offense. We think Cartersville edge on the line of scrimmage is the difference. Canes by 12. 

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-1 (Part II)

Posted on August 17, 2022 by admin

We have finally made it to Week-1 of the Georgia High School Football Season. This is Part II of our weekly previews, Eight Greats Around the State which we look at eight intriguing matchups across the state of Georgia.

We pick up where we left off in Part I and stay in South Georgia as the Appling County Pirates host the Ware County Gators. The Gators will be replacing a lot of offensive production this season. Can Appling “catch Ware early”, before they get it all figured out? Our next preview takes us to Metro Atlanta where the Alpharetta Raiders host the Jefferson Dragons. The Raiders return several key players including quarterback Ben Guthrie. Will Jefferson’s two-way star, Sammy Brown have a big night on Friday?

Down in Middle Georgia, the Warner Robins Demons will host Lee County. Can the Warner Robins defense slow down a youthful and explosive Lee County offense. Finally, on Saturday in “The Benz”, Walton will face off against Mill Creek. Can the Walton passing attack have success against a secondary patrolled by Caleb Downs, one of the top safeties in the country?

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Appling County Pirates are coming off of their first 12 win season in ten years. If the Pirates are going to repeat the success they had last season, they’ll need to replace their top three backs that they lost to graduation. Expect for Jaylen Johnson and Jamarion Williams to help fill that void. Camden Hickox is the team’s top returning receiver. Dayson Griffis could also become a weapon in the passing game. Defensively, Dawson Griffis is the teams leading returning tackler while Darion Smith will look to duplicate an impressive sophomore, recording 11 sacks in 2021.

The Ware County Gators have a huge hole to fill at quarterback and running back with the graduation of Thomas Castellanos and Cartevious Norton. The jury may still be at at quarterback with Niko Smith and Luke Hooks in the mix. Whoever gets the nod will have two pretty good backs in Charles Johnson and Dae’Jeaun Dennis in the backfield at running back. Ware County returns top linebackers Trey Hargrove, Jemario Barkley among others. It’s a defense that allowed 21.9 points per game last season.

Playing the game in Baxley should help the Pirates a good bit. We believe Ware’s ability to run the football more effectively than Appling should be the difference. Gators by 8. 

The Skinny

This game is an intriguing matchup, and while some might wonder why we picked this matchup, we believe that Alpharetta might be flying under the radar. The Raiders move down in classification this year and return a solid core of players including quarterback Ben Guthrie who threw for 1,675 yards and 14-TDs in 2021. The Raiders also return their top rusher from a year ago Jake Gil. He will run behind Parker Peterson (Memphis Tiger Commit) and Elias Cloy (Georgia Tech Commit). These two will anchor the Alpharetta offensive line and we expect big things with their leadership. The defense will return last season’s sack leader, Aven Kelley.

The Jefferson Dragons begin a new era as Coach Travis Noland moves over from North Oconee. Noland has led his previous teams to three region championships each. All eyes will be on Sammy Brown, one of the top linebackers in the state. But we’d expect Brown to get touches in the backfield as well on offense. The Dragons are doing a bit of rebuilding as last year’s starting QB Malaki Starks has graduated. Expect for Max Aldridge to take over for the Dragons under center. Meanwhile, the Jefferson offense will need to find a go to receiver to help keep teams off balance. 

We have full faith the Coach Noland will keep Jefferson competing at a high level, however, this Alpharetta team has a little more experience, and they are playing at home. We like the Raiders by a touchdown.

The Skinny

The Warner Robins Demons and Lee County Trojans have been two of the most consistent teams below the “gnat line” in recent history. The Demons are coming off of their 2nd straight Class AAAAA state title and have been in the finals each of the last five yeas. They return their leading rusher from a year ago, Malcolm Brown, who rushed for 1,332 yards and 17-TDs. They will have to break in a new quarterback this season and that is a big question mark for the Demons. Warner Robins will also need to find someone to step up at receiver as their top two pass catchers from a year ago have graduated. We do expect for the Warner Robins defense to be stout again this year. They’ll be led by Victor Burley and Chayce Smith. Expect these two to set the table for the Demons this season.

Lee County has reloaded…again. Last season, then freshman running back Ousmane Kromah had a breakout season, rushing for over 1,700 yard and 22-TDs. Joining Kromah in the backfield is 2nd year starter at quarterback Chris Martin who will have one of his top receivers back in Jevell Ferguson. We talked about the impressive Warner Robins defense line, but Lee County touts some usnung, but impressive defensive linemen including Jaydon Cory, Leroy Jackson and Nehamiah McCloud. The secondary will be anchored by Temeriz Williams, Devin Collier and Jkhai Johnson. 

Warner Robins will certainly have the luxury of paying at home. We expect plenty of fireworks from both teams, but do like the experience at quarterback to be the difference in this game. Lee County by six. 

The Skinny


The Walton Raiders will look to make another deep run in the playoffs in 2022. Jeremy Hecklinski is a name we’ve mentioned a lot when talking about Walton. He’s received plenty of snaps with the first team the previous two season. Now the job of quarterback falls squarely on his shoulder. Hecklinski threw for 1,471 yards and 13-TDs in 2021. The Raiders return two of their top three running backs in Braylen Stokes and Austin Williams. They also added Makari Bodiford who has plenty of experience in the backfield coming over from McEachern. Walton will be looking for receivers to step up as their top five receivers from a year ago have graduated. Defensively, Ashton Woods, the team’s top tackler returns along with fellow linebacker Ryan Anderson. Woods also led the team in interceptions last season. 

Meanwhile, the Mill Creek Hawks are looking to make a deep run in the playoffs behind the top recruit in the state, safety Caleb Downs. But Downs isn’t the only star on this Hawks team. Linebackers Jamal Anderson, Kevin Mitchell, Khai Green and Josh Anglin all return. Meanwhile on offense, senior quarterback Hayden Clark will look to improve on his impressive junior numbers as he threw for 2,065 yards and 19-TDs in 2021. Brendan Jenkins and Mikhail Woods return as the two top receivers for the Hawks. It will be interesting who Mill Creek turns to at running back. Jamal Anderson could see action in the backfield.

We expect both of these teams to be alive in the playoffs come late November. We like Walton to keep it close, but their inexperience at receiver might hurt them in the end. Mill Creek by 5.  

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Previews Week-1 (Part I)

Posted on August 17, 2022 by admin

We have finally made it to Week-1 of the Georgia High School Football Season. This is part one of our weekly previews, Eight Greats Around the State which we look at eight intriguing matchups across the state of Georgia.

Our first stop takes us to Westlake High School, where the Lions will host the North Cobb Warriors. This game features several highly ranked and recruited players in the state. The quarterback battle is key as Westlake’s R.J. Johnson looks to out-duel North Cobb’s Malachi Singleton. Meanwhile down in Southeast Georgia, the Swainsboro Tigers host the Metter Tigers. Metter has not lost a regular season game in over two years. Swainsboro was the last team to beat them in the regular season. Can Swainsboro do it again and stop their streak?

Going a little deeper into South Georgia, the defending Class AA Champion, Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes will host the Irwin County Indians. Fitzgerald lost a lot to graduation, while Irwin County returns several key pieces from a team that played for a state title in Class A Public last season. Finally we take a look at the Battle of Polk County. Will it be Rockmart or Cedartown earning county bragging rights? That will all hinge on whether or not the Rockmart defense can slow down the explosive Cedartown running attack.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

The Skinny

The Westlake Lions will begin a new era under coach Rico Zackery who last served as head coach at Villa Rica in 2018. Zackery inherits a Westlake team that averaged 38.6 points per game and a bevy of talented players. Quarterback R.J. Johnson returns for his senior season after passing for 2,673 yards and 25-TDs with just 4 picks. Jai’Den Thomas, the teams leading rusher is also back after rushing for over 1,100 yards and 10-TDs in 2021. There is a void to fill at receiver as the Lions will look to replace their top three pass catchers from a year ago. Defensively, Avieon Terrell and Christian Peterson will look to make the secondary a no fly zone for opposing offenses.

North Cobb looks to make a deep run in the playoffs as they return the top dual threat quarterback in the State, Malachi Singleton. Last season, Singleton threw for 2,168 yards and rushed for 872 yards and accounted for a total of 43 TDs. Joining Singleton in the backfield will be a combination of Benjamin Hall and David Mbadinga. Hall was second on the team in rushing in 2021 while Mbadinga moves over from Kell. Like Westlake, North Cobb will be looking to fill the void at receiver due to graduation. Look for David Eziomume and Darius Dye to help fill that role. The Warriors will have an experienced offensive line anchored by Robert Grigsby, Marselle Felton and Blake Ellsworth.

This game should be a shootout. We wonder how long it will take for the Lions to get comfortable with coach Zackery’s system. He’s a proven coach at the high school and college level, so experience for him is not a factor. North Cobb has the edge on the offensive line. We like for the Warriors to go on the road and edge the Lions by 4.

The Skinny

After one down season, coach Scott Roberts had the Swainsboro Tigers rolling again last season as the Tigers claimed a region title and made a run to the semifinals. Swainsboro returns dual threat quarterback Ty Adams, who quite frankly runs it more than he throws it. Adams passed for 451 yards and 4-TDs last season but rushed for a team high 1,778 yards and 23-TDs. The Tigers also return their other leading rushers Quindarius Brown and Demello Jones who combined for 1,383 yards. Defensively, Swainsboro returns their top tacklers from last season with Jonorian Foots (109 total tackles) and Jerrod Steward (148 total tackles).

The Metter Tigers also return a host of talent in the backfield including Kaliq Jordan, Reco Coney and Antwan Coney. Senior quarterback Trey Hall is also a talented runner that should give the Swainsboro defense fits. With all the talk about the offense, we are probably slighting Metter’s defense which allowed just 13.7 points per game and shut out four of their opponents last season. Look for Antwan Coney and Kaliq Jordan to star on that side of the ball as well. They will be joined by linemen C.J. Donaldson, Jayceon Lanier and linebacker Ethan Oglesby as they look to continue their dominance of the past two seasons.

The Metter Tigers have not lost a regular season game since October 4, 2019. Their opponent that night…the Swainsboro Tigers. Both teams should put up a lot of points this season and we believe the scoreboard operator will be busy. We believe Adams and Swainsboro will be just elusive enough to outfox Metter. Swainsboro by 2.

The Skinny

The Fitzgerald Purple Hurricanes won their first state title since 1948, as they defeated then region rival Thomasville for the crown. The Purple Hurricanes are a run oriented team, but do return their starting quarterback, Sultan Cooper. Joining Cooper in the backfield will be running backs Sylon Davis and Diondre Paschal. Notably missing from this years team are E.J. Lightsey, DeNorris Goodwin and Jakorrian Paulk as graduation has taken its toll on the Fitzgerald roster. Even with these losses, we expect Fitzgerald to be competitive and compete for a region crown.

The Irwin County Indians have been one of the most consistent teams in Georgia over the past 10 years, reaching the finals in seven of those seasons. The Indians return senior quarterback Cody Soliday who threw for 1,742 yards and 26-TDs last season. He will be rejoined in the backfield by fellow senior running back Demarkus Lundy (1,668 yards 21-TDs in 2021) and one of the best sophomore running backs in the state, Shane Marshall (764 yards, 7-TDs in 2021). Irwin returns all but one of their top six receivers from a year ago.

This game was close last season and we expect another great contest down in Fitzgerald this week. We give the edge this year to Irwin County, as they seem to be the more experienced team in this matchup. Indians over the Canes by 4.

The Skinny

After a one year hiatus, the battle of Polk County will resume as Rockmart hosts Cedartown The Rockmart Yellow Jackets reeled off nine consecutive victories last season before being upset in the first round of the state tournament. The good news for the Yellow Jackets is that they return just about all of their skill position players from last year’s offense that averaged 37 points per game. Quarterback J.D. Davis will be joined in the backfield by leading rushesr JoJo Haynes, Cam Ferguson and Brent Washington who is a load at 220 lbs. This is a Rockmart team that might average 45 plus points once region play comes around.

The Cedartown Bulldogs are looking to make another deep run as they also return several key pieces for the 2022 season. The Bulldogs are a run first team as well, and they return two of their top three backs form a year ago in Harlem Diamond (1,075 yards, 20-TDs) and Patrick Gardner (843 yards, 9- TDs). The Bulldogs also return their quarterback, Reece Tanner who threw for 824 yards and 9-TDs. Cedartown will need to find replacements at receiver as their top four were lost to graduation. On defense, linebacker Eli Barrow returns with his team high 127 tackles from a year ago. However, they will need to find replacements fast for their their top tacklers as graduation has taken its toll on that side of the ball as well.

Pay no attention to the classifications in this match up. We believe this will be one of the best games in the state, regardless of classification. Expect a physical contest between both schools, but we are going to go with Harlem Diamond and Cedartown to win a close game on the road. Bulldogs by 4.

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2022 GHSA TFR Preseason Football Rankings

Posted on August 14, 2022 by admin

We are less than a week away from the start of the regular season. Today, we release our GHSA Top-10 Football Poll in each classification. Polls are fun and can provide for spirited and healthy conversations and debates. We welcome any and all poll feedback.

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class-A Private Championship Preview

Posted on December 8, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Prince Avenue Christian Wolverines are the defending Class-A Private State Champions and are in the finals for the second straight year and the third time in school history. Since dropping their Week-1 opener, the Wolverines have not lost and were not seriously tested until last week’s semifinal game. In their three playoff games, the Wolverines area averaging 43.6 points per game while the defense is allowing 16.6. Overall this season, they are averaging 46.1 points per game while allowing 11.3. Their road to the finals includes a win by forfeit over a No. 4 seed, a victory over a No. 3 seed and two road wins against No. 1 seeds. One would have suspected a drop-off in pass production with the graduation of Brock Vandegriff, however, super sophomore Aaron Philo has picked up right where Vandagriff left off. The Wolverines are averaging 323.3 yards per game through the air and 84.5 yards per game rushing. Philo has thrown for 4,204 yards and 44-TDs, completing 72.5% of his passes. Bailey Stockton and Ethan Dewitt have both gone over 1,000 yards receiving as Stockton has 72 receptions for 1,133 yards and 15-TDs. Dewitt has 64 receptions for 1,063 yards and 8-TDs. Meanwhile Ethan Christian is not for behind with 41 receptions for 949 yards and 14-TDs. Freshman running back Mac Bradley has rushed for 649 yards and 11-TDs. A win this Friday would give the Wolverines their second football championship. 

The Trinity Christian Lions are in the finals for the second straight season. If you include their tenure in GISA, this is the third time in school history that Trinity has made the finals. (This is only their fourth season playing in the GHSA.) Their thirteen wins this season are a program record. The Lions have defeated one No. 3 seed and two No. 1 seeds en route to the title game. In their three playoff games, they are averaging 50.6 points per game and allowing 22. Over the course of the entire season, they are averaging 52.8 points per game and allowing 11.3. The Lions had their biggest scare of the season last week against ELCA, when they had to go to double overtime to advance. Prior to last week, the closest margin of victory for Trinity was a 31 point regular season win over ELCA. Trinity Christian’s offense is averaging 301.2 yards per game through the air and 146.6 yards on the ground. Senior quarterback David Dallas has thrown for 3,641 yards and 45-TDs while completing 76.9% of his passes. His top three receivers have been his brother, Joshua Dallas (60 receptions, 1,142 yards, 15-TDs), Aaron Gates (45 receptions, 735 yards, 9-TDs) and Bryce Wilcox (44 receptions, 680 yards, 11-TDs). Dominic Cosper leads the Lions ground attack with 1,243 yards and 27-TDs. Cosper has also caught 27 passes for 521 yards and 5-TDs. Linebacker Shawn Braxton leads the defense with 7-sacks, while linebacker Christian Hanson and lineman Cameron Matthews lead the team in total tackles. A win on Thursday would be the first football state title for Trinity Christian. 

This is a rematch of the 2020 state championship game that Prince Avenue won. Both teams have really dominated their competition during the regular season and up until last week. We anticipate that both teams aerial assaults will be on full display Thursday afternoon. We expect a high scoring back and forth ballgame. We were extremely impressed with Trinity Christian in last year’s final and we believe their experience at the quarterback position will be the difference this week. Lions by 7.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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Eight Greats Around the State – Georgia High School Football Class-A Public Championship Preview

Posted on December 8, 2021 by admin

The Skinny

The Brooks County Trojans have advanced to the state finals for the third straight season and for the fifth time overall. The Trojans enter this week winners of their last ten games. The road to the finals included victories over one No. 3 seed, then going on the road to defeat one No. 2 seed and two No. 1 seeds. During their playoff run, Brooks County is averaging 52.5 points per game while allowing 19.5. For the full season, the Trojans are averaging 47.8 points per game while the defense is allowing 18.3. The Trojans average 173.5 yards per game through the air and 240.9 yards per game on the ground. Quarterback Jamal Sanders has thrown for 2,224 yards and 27-TDs while Omari Arnold leads the team in rushing with 2,224 yards and 37-TDs. Meanwhile, Tremaine Demps (28 receptions, 616 yards, 12-TDs) and Willie Brown (48 receptions, 1,122yards, 11-TDs) lead the Trojans receiving corps. Linebacker Christian Edgerton and safety Amar Thomas lead the team in total tackles, while defensive lineman Trayveon Jackson leads the defense in tackles for loss and sacks. Junior defensive back Saveon Cason has intercepted seven passes this season. A win on Thursday would give the Trojans their second state title in school history. 

The Irwin County Indians are the two time defending state champions in Class A-Public. They are in the finals for the fifth straight year and for the eleventh time in school history. The Indians enter the championship game winners of their last 10 games. In their four playoff victories, they are scoring 39.7 points per game while allowing 19 points per game. Overall this season, they are averaging 39.4 points per game while allowing 15.3. On their road to the title game, Irwin County has defeated one No. 4 seed, one No. 2 seed and two No. 1 seeds. All of their playoff games have been at home this season. Irwin County is averaging 120.6 yards per game through the air and 260.5 yards per game on the ground.  Damarcus Lundy (1,562 yards, 19-TDs) and Shane Marshall (705 yards, 6-TDs) lead the Indians ground game while junior quarterback Cody Soliday has thrown for 1,676 yards and 26-TDs. Ten different receivers have caught passes this season for Irwin County, but Malachi Hadden, Eli Roberts, Bo Payne and Mason Snyder have been the primary targets. A win this Thursday would give the Indians their fourth state title in school history. 

This is the team’s second meeting this season and the second consecutive year these region foes have met in the state title game. Irwin County has won the last three games in the series. In their first meeting this season, the Indians held the Trojans to just 96 rushing yards. The only other time Brooks County was held to under 100 yards, they lost that game as well, (to Thomasville). So whether or not Brooks County has solved the Irwin defense will go a long way to determine if they can win the title. Meanwhile, Irwin County rushed for 285 yards in their September 24th game against Brooks County. Have the Trojans made the necessary adjustments? Last year, we picked Brooks County to win the rematch. You’d think we’d have learned our lesson picking against Irwin County, but we believe Brooks will “bring the hammer” and have more success running the ball this week and like the Trojans by 3.

As always, thanks for reading. While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe so you won’t miss any of our coverage. Please feel free to comment and share.

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Special thanks to the Georgia Helmet Project for providing each team’s helmet. You can find all of their work here: http://gahelmetproject.com

Historical records are provided by the Georgia High School Football Historians Association. (ghsfa.org)

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